The Young Miner
by elementalforceofdestruction
Summary: Some months have passed since the Wither was summoned upon the small kingdom of Liberty Gallows. Steve has created a little community underground that survivors take refuge in. Herobrine has healed and disappeared, Steve has no idea where. After living in this Wither infected world, Steve is losing hope, but the Wither can be stopped. Can't it? Sequel to The Old King
1. Sanctuary

_4 months after the Wither was summoned… _

…

As I came out of the mine for the fifth time this week, I heard the survivors pray. The open church next to the mine entrance was packed full of the villagers in mourning. They chanted to Notch, begging him to let the devastation stop, begging him to end their suffering, and begging him to bring an end to the Wither. I saw the torch in the middle of the cave. The tall, stone brick statue was illuminated by the small flame on top. It was undying, like the hope the survivors held in their hearts. Unlike them I had given up on praying to Notch. He never answers anyway. But I realized there was no point, seeing a friend of mine was his brother.

As they chanted I made my way to my cobblestone hut. The one room house was all the space I could afford now. Liberty Gallows was burnt to ash by the Wither and its snake-like soldiers. After He and I left the castle, we found a large dead end cave inside a mountain. It was the best place for us at the time. We managed to stay there for a couple days alone. I set up a mine while Herobrine rested and healed. I lured some animals inside and managed to gather some seeds to start a vegetable farm. At the end of the third day, Herobrine had healed completely. I got back from mining to find him gone. He left a note saying he would be back, but that was four months ago. I haven't seen him since.

A week after He disappeared a small number of survivors walked into my _Fortress of Solitude_ and began to set up camp. At first I felt annoyed, but as the population grew I began to feel happy to have the company. I had trained several men how to mine so we could get resources quicker. I built a mineshaft going all the way down to diamond level. We had cave systems branching off all over the place and more were found each day. The women farmed and cooked for the little town. The stayed in the safety of the village while us miners fought off the mobs coming from underneath and gathered the coal they needed.

We had few knights from neighboring kingdoms join us. They defended the town from any Wither Skeletons that caused a ruckus nearby. Not to mention the Zombies and Creepers that happened by. There was also a blacksmith or two that came along. We set an area for them to work their trade, it was handy being able to go in and have a sword ready and waiting. We ended up using gold nuggets for a currency. The emeralds far too few and were kept away for use in the future, if the Wither goes away.

The small town was empty, due to everyone being at the church. I was the only miner at work today, which was nice for a change. Usually, I mine alone but I can hear the others talking. They don't realize how well stone carries sound. Their obnoxious laughter often results in a swarm of mobs.

I unlocked the door and was greeted instantly by Lapis. She barked excitedly and jumped up and down. I patted her on the head and walked over to the furnace. Lapis limped behind me eagerly, desperate for attention. The poor dog had escaped the Wither, but she was injured in the process. A Wither skull gnawed her front paw clean off. Thankfully dogs and wolves are immune to the Wither effect, otherwise she would've ended up like Herobrine did back in the castle. As for Emerald, he ran away. During all the commotion Emerald ran away. He was always a bit of a rebel, but I didn't think he'd run off like that. Part of me thinks he's dead, fallen in a ravine or eaten by the mobs. Another part of me wishes that he was found by Herobrine and is walking around the wild, protected by the god. But who knows?

Lapis licked my hand and curled up against my side while I smelted the gold ore I found in the mine today. The ore was in abundance today. I found at least a stack and a half. Which would be fantastic if the ore wasn't basically useless.

I sighed and stroked her fur. It felt dirty and needed cleaning, but she was sleeping on me and I didn't want to move her. I pouted and kissed her on the forehead. She was the only thing in this village that really cared I existed. Even though I was the one who found this place.

Slowly, I stood up and shuffled over to the bed, it was cold but it did well. I rolled over and faced the furnace. The heat from the coals made it a bit better. Outside I could hear the survivors walking around on mycelium. All the grass had mutated into the rare surface and every so often there would be mushrooms popping up, which made good for the food supply. I hated mushroom soup though. It was bland and chunky. I usually just skipped dinner those nights.

My eyes grew heavy and I drifted off into a restless sleep.

...

I awoke to a loud banging on my door. Lapis barked at it defensively and I had to hurry out of the warm bed.

"Steve? Are you in there? Steve?" I knew that voice anywhere. It was Mother Delia, I haven't spoken to her in a week or so. She was Liberty Gallows' most firm believer in Notch. She wouldn't here from anyone that Notch didn't exist. Whoever said that would end up with a scolding, especially a damnation to Herobrine. Whom she hated with every fiber of her being.

"Coming." I answered as I trudged over to the door. The door unlocked with a _click _and swung open with a rusty creak. The nun was standing straight and proud in front of me. I don't think this women ever grew after the age of ten. She was only a block and a half high. I felt bad looking down on her.

"There you are son. I was getting worried. Its midday and all the other miners have gone to work." She smiled sweetly although there was some concern in her eyes.

"Midday? Its midday?" I asked. Had I slept in that long?

"Yes. Also, I didn't see you praying last night. Was something the matter?" Her smile fell into a sort of frown. I could tell she was ready to damn me for not praying to the Creator.

I smiled smugly and rubbed the back of my head. "No. Nothings the matter. I just lost track of time. I kept finding gold and I just had to mine it. I'm sorry Mother, I hope you can forgive me."

Her expression lightened. "Alright dear. You are forgiven. I hope you mine lots today, we seem to be running low on iron. The golems need a touch up too, I'm afraid."

"Yes I noticed. I'll do the best I can, and thank you Mother."

She smiled and started to take her leave. "I know you will Steve. I'll see you around then." She bowed and left, smiling happily and giving blessings to the passing children. I sighed and turned around. Lapis was gazing up at me with adoring eyes. Her tail was hanging lower than normal, but not so much that she needed food, but she was still hungry. Unfortunately, so was I. I had been trying to conserve the more filling foods since supplies were always low and most of the town's diet was vegetables and bread. But dogs only ate meat, which was something I couldn't change.

"Sorry Pup. Not today." I patted her lightly while I apologized. I hated turning her down but I needed to conserve the food. Especially when the Wither's soldiers keep killing all the cows and pigs on the surface.

I picked up my pick and started for the mine. Time was wasting and ores were being left undiscovered. This time I let Lapis follow me into the mines. We walked through town quickly and descended the stone steps. This time I walked all the way to the bottom. No one really went down there. Even though they had been mining for three and a half months, they were still inexperienced and too scared to go down that deep. After all, according to them, He might be lurking in the shadows. Killing anyone who mined the diamonds and fought the mobs. Thankfully I had nothing to fear, beside a few traps I was destined to survive.

Lapis followed me all the way down and rested herself by a lava pool. For a short time I admired the heat from the liquid. It bubbled away and sent little bits of flaming rock into the air, before they splashed back in the pool. Lapis panted with her tongue hanging to the side. The warmth made me miss the summer, when I would take holidays to the beach for a few weeks. But the caves were freezing, she had the right idea. If only I had the time to do the same. I followed a few small cave systems around the lava pool. I came to one that went a bit deeper than the others but I checked it out anyway. My boots tapped at the stone, echoing for blocks in the quiet space.

With every torch I placed I could see further ahead. Valuable ores glistened in the fire light, which meant more trade for me. I wasn't having much luck with diamonds however. It was mostly Gold, Lapis Lazuli and Redstone. Occasionally I would find an emerald or two. But they were sort of worthless now, in our new society anyway. The cave went on for a fair way. Much longer than I anticipated. The miner in me had me convinced to follow the stone until I hit a wall. But that possibility seemed so far away.

After another ten minutes of walking and mining I was about to abandon the cave. Lapis had caught up to me and limped next to me at a slow pace. My eyes stuck to the ground, tired and heavy. Lapis would attack any mobs that showed up, if they did. Strangely, I hadn't encountered any mobs at all during the afternoon. The caves were bare of the undead, which is a rare sight for anyone. The only thing I was threatened by was the bats, but I could kill one with a single punch if I tried hard enough.

I stopped and thought about leaving. My decision was almost made when Lapis started growling. She was low on the ground and her hair spiked up on end. I reached for my sword and searched the dark cave for what she was growling at. She snarled and crept forward at the unseen danger. I readied my blade and moved forward with her. Slowly I could see a figure emerge from the darkness. The small, black mob crawled forward. Its many legs moving in synchronization. Eight red glowing eyes shone in the darkness. It was only a spider.

I sighed and let Lapis stand her ground. But just as I began to relax, hundreds of sets of eyes lit up the cavern ahead of us. My heart jumped and I yelled, "RUN!" Lapis and I spun around and sprinted for the surface. I followed the caves twists and turns in their hundreds. A block of gravel came loose under my foot, causing me to stumble and trip. My head collided with the stone and my vision blurred. I could see a white fuzz in front of me. Lapis barked ferociously at the spiders, but they were unfazed. Their vile squealing told me that. I crawled to my feet and tripped my way through the to the lava pool and onto the stairwell. My vision had cleared and I was climbing the stairs as fast as I could. I past a few signs telling me the ore level I had reached. _Redstone, Gold, Lapis. _Iron was coming up, I could see the piece of wood in the distance. Just then, I heard Lapis yelp. She started whimpering and snarling behind me. I stopped and turned around to help her. I could feel the adrenaline in my veins and I lunged at the spiders as they crawled over my wolf. But to my surprise, like a tidal wave, the spiders jumped at me, knocking me to the ground. The weight of a hundred spiders pinned me to the ground. Then quick but painful nips at my skin forced me to scream. The spiders injected venom into my veins from all over. My legs, then my arms went numb and I started seeing spots. Finally I couldn't hold on any longer and succumbed to the painless darkness clouding my mind.

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><p><strong>Here it is! The new story and sequel you have been waiting for, (though not for very long). I hope this chapter answered some questions for you all. I wrote this much faster than I thought I would and I'm pretty happy with it. I apologize for the dismissal of Herobrine, but he is off doing something for the time being. I don't quite know what that something is yet... <strong>

**Also a cliffhanger?! Already?! **

**Mwhahahaha **

**Well I hope you all enjoyed. Please Read and Review my lovelies.**

**-L**


	2. Escape

"HELP!" I called again. But no one responded. I stared at the thick stone wall. Blocks of gravel weaved through it. There was no natural forming wall like this. The mine had caved in. My skin was scattered with tiny bite marks in the hundreds. I had red patches of skin all over the place and head drummed in pain. The ache was hard to bare but I could deal with it over the stinging of the bites. Lapis breathed heavily at my side. A few bites around her collar and tail told me she had been a victim of the hoard of arachnids. Her tongue hung out the side of her mouth as she panted. I could feel her breath through the fabric of my shirt.

_Of all the places to cave in, it had to be the exit. Not the part of the mine where all the mobs are._ I thought.

I had been out for hours. I remember blacking out when the spiders attacked me. At the time it was around five o'clock, the sun was going to set. But now it was well into the morning. My clock was smashed slightly but I could still read it. How I survived though was the question. My arms had been rid of the numbness for some time but my legs were asleep and immobile. I found a smashed glass bottle by my head when I woke up. A deep pink shining liquid pooled around my head and covered my top half. I remember packing a Potion of Instant Health a while ago. Seems I hadn't taken it out.

The whole mine was dark. Torches had been extinguished when the roof fell in. I dug around my inventory bag and found that I had wasted all my torches while exploring that cave. My vision had adjusted to darkness, but I could still see nothing. The mine was safe I suppose. The stairwell was too small for Endermen but anything could feed in from the caves along the side. I was just lucky they hadn't yet.

I had never felt so abandoned. No one had come and removed the wall of stone and gravel. Lapis whimpered in her sleep and I brushed her fur softly, trying to calm her. I had nothing to do but sit and wait until my legs woke up. If they did at all. I leaned my head up against the cold stone. My body was freezing. I had never spent so long in the mines surrounded by darkness. There was always torches to keep me warm, even just a little. Lapis was having nightmares and whimpered and squealed but I had to keep patting her. Last time I woke her up she bit my hand, I don't really want a repeat of that.

"They'll come." I told myself. "They wouldn't leave me down here. Would they? I mean… I was the one who founded this little town. If it weren't for me, they'd all be dead." My quiet voice echoed down the mine. Whispers bouncing off the stone every few blocks. "So why haven't they come for me yet?" Beside me Lapis twitched, apparently her nightmare was getting bad. "It'll be okay." I told her sleeping form. "We'll get out of this. Once my legs wake up we can mine out of here." I finished with a chirp. I tried to sound happy for both our sakes. But she was sleeping and I knew that what I was saying wasn't going to make me feel any better. _Maybe I shouldn't have stopped praying to Notch…. _

I never had the mind to be optimistic during a time like this. Of course, everyone had the strength to tell themselves they would be okay. I could never believe my own advice. I guess though, as a miner, you could always doubt your own survival. You could always say '_what if the gravel comes loose?' _ Or '_there might be lava on the other side of this block'. _My self-doubt was always an issue. But it got worse when He showed up. Instead of worrying about the mobs and gravel falling, I had to always watch my back. Sometimes I was too afraid to leave my house. But he still showed up. No matter where I went, he would follow. At least now he isn't trying to kill me.

I found my mind stick to my doppelganger. The one who hadn't shown up like he said he would. But the man was unpredictable. He could leave and come back in two days or come back in two years.

"Maybe he's talking to Notch?" I thought out loud. "Maybe they are planning on ending all this." The thought seemed logical. But Herobrine said that he and Notch were on bad terms. He still had to fix that. Maybe that's what he spent the past four months doing. I smiled about thinking that the brothers were untied again. Maybe we did have a chance against the Wither.

….

A few more hours had passed and Lapis had woken up. She ran off now and then but always came back. She was with me a majority of the time. My legs had recovered considerably and so now I was standing up. After this long without a rescue I decided that I should try and save myself. Now that I was in the condition to do so, I should start.

I held my hand to the cold wall. The rough stone guided me downwards. After very little time my hand hit something wooden. The flat slab on the wall meant it had to be a sign. If only I had a torch to read it. I kept moving and found a corner that rounded into a tunnel. Instinctively, I followed it through. A tunnel meant a mine and a mine meant torches. I could hear Lapis trotting along just ahead. My boot knocked something small. A wooden echo sounded around the cavern as it bounced forward. I bent down and picked it up. I could smell coal immediately. _A torch!_

I struck the coal on stone, creating a few sparks. Finally, the torch set alight and the area around me was lit up with a warm yellow glow. Lapis, who had run ahead, came back to me and sheltered herself in the light. The cavern was small, and judging by the colour of the ore, I was between Iron and Gold level.

I decided to turn around and head back up the mine. With the torch I was now safe from mobs. I could see if anything had been dropped or if any chests had equipment in them. I sword or a pick would be handy right now. I slowly ascended the levels. Every few blocks was a new tunnel and only one of them had a chest. It was filled with cobblestone. I thought my luck had run out, then I found a stone pick lying underneath all the rock. I dug through and pulled it out. The head looked extremely blunt. _I've seen flint sharper than this…_ but it would have to do.

The only way out of the mine was through the centre. There were no secondary exits, aside from the ones down the bottom. But they were just a detour back to this level in case of a cave in. But of course, the mine fell in above the only exit. I had to mine my way out, but the whole wall was mostly gravel. Who knew how much gravel there was still to come?

I studied the wall from inside the tunnel. I began thinking about how they haven't come to get me yet, and even if they did, how would they know it was me they were saving? If I climbed out of here myself, who's to say they are all standing up there waiting to chop my head off? After all, the most hated man in the world is my doppelganger, and he was famous for causing mischief in mines.

I balanced the pick against the wall and raised the pick. Just as I was about to start chipping away, I heard a faint tapping.

I lowered my hand and listened closely.

The tapping grew louder, and louder.

Finally, a slither of light shone through the wall.

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><p><strong>Sorry this took a while. I had major writers block and I'm not very happy with this chapter.<strong>

**I hope its okay.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**-L**


	3. Reunion

"Steve?" A voice spoke through the light. "It can't be…" he was quiet. "Not possible…" a man stepped through the hole. He was silhouetted by the light but I knew the voice. He staggered toward me with a limp. The air around me began to smell strongly of whiskey. The man's shirt glimmered with a yellow shine. It was a familiar, powdery substance. Glowstone dust. Yet as rare as it was, the next kingdom over had it in abundance. It used to medicine but now… it's more of a relief than anything. The man mumbled quickly to himself. I could hear the things that he was saying in the dead silence of the mine. "But you were in the main square," "You were talking to the farmers," "If you were up there…" he paused and pointed through the hole in the wall, his eyes clouded in confusion, "then how are you here?" suddenly, his face lit up in realization and he pinned me against the wall with the sharp tip of his pickaxe against my throat.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" he spat viciously.

I breathed rapidly and tried to catch my breath. I could feel the sharp blade digging into my flesh. I met the eyes of my attacker, it was Michael. The eldest miner of us all, and by far the biggest Herobrine conspiracy theorist in town. His scraggly beard matched the dull grey of his hair, or what was left of it. His eyes were crazed and bloodshot with age. The deep green that they were mirrored his tattered shirt that was covered with dust from living underground.

"I'm Steve. Who else?" I choked out in panic. But that only made Michael angrier and he held me tighter against the wall.

"Who else? WHO else?! I'll tell you who you are! You're Herobrine!" He spat and raised the pick above his head and was readied it to hit. "You're a demon! And I'll be the man to kill you!" He laughed like a madman and drew in a breath for extra power. Behind him I saw a quick, instantaneous purple flash. I blinked but couldn't tell if I'd imagined it or not. Then, as Michael began to bring down his pick, a voice broke through the heavy silence.

"Now that would be a disappointment to all three of us." The voice echoed through the mine, a voice I knew all too well. I could feel a smirk creep onto my face. The dumbstruck expression on Michaels face was priceless. "Well? Are you going to lower the tool?" beside Michael, a ball of fire erupted to life. "Or do I have to lower it for you?"

Michael froze in his place and kept his eyes locked on me. The fear that rose inside him was clear on his face. Somehow, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. I knew that he could see the reflection of Herobrine's glowing eyes in my own. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, Michael dropped the pickaxe. The Iron made a loud _clank_ on the stone floor and Michael, without a word, walked slowly out of the mine.

"Pathetic." Herobrine spat when Michael was out of ear shot. He lowered his hand and the fireball died out. I breathed out a long sigh. I rested my head against the stone and looked at the god. In turn he looked back and flashed a smile.

"Hey…" He sheepishly waved, a mischievous smile plastered on his face. It was now that I noticed that the air reeked of sulfur and… burnt pork? In disgust I covered my nose and mouth, it was unbearable.

"What the hell is that smell?" I asked with a muffled voice. Herobrine folded his arms and glared at me.

"It's nice to see you to Steve."

I pushed him away, it didn't stink of sulfur until he showed up. But he decided it was funny and we shoved each other back and forth for a few seconds. Finally he confessed, "Fine! I've been in the Nether and I haven't bathed yet… being stuck in a room with Zombie Pigmen isn't exactly great for hygiene."

I nodded and agreed. "Poor you." I teased. Lapis barked from a few blocks down, apparently she had been frightened by the sudden fight that just occurred. Herobrine looked at her and grinned. He patted the side of his leg and Lapis ran up to him. He greeted her kindly. But then again, all the wolves of the Overworld had a trust in Herobrine, for some unknown reason. Some minutes passed and one thing constantly ran through my mind.

…

'_but you were in the main square, talking to the farmers'_

…

"Hero…?" I tapped my finger against my chin as I spoke. He answered without taking his attention away from Lapis.

"Yes?"

"What did… Michael mean when he said that he _just_ saw me up there? Please tell me you have nothing to do with that." I watched as he slowly stopped patting Lapis and looked to the ceiling. His face had evil written all over it and he grinned before turning to me.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't lie."

He pouted and laughed, his eyes brightening as he did so. "You know I won't tell. Maybe I really don't know what you're talking about." He stood up and folded his arms again, shrugging.

"But you do. What did you do up there? If that whole place hates me-"

"Relax!" he chuckled "They don't hate you." He rested up against the opposite wall.

"So you did do something." I pointed at him. Glaring venomously.

"Well… maybe…" He tilted his head. "I was going to say 'hi' but you weren't home and then one of the farmers found me…"

"Oh" I whispered.

"I faked it, and pretended to be you. But you don't understand the amount of self-control it took not to cut all their heads off…" He clenched his fist and stared at it with blinding eyes. "You have no idea how lucky you are to have gotten on my good side." He glanced at me. The god let out a sigh and looked down the mine. Contemplation written on his face. Not before long, he began walking down the stairs. He swayed side to side lightly with every step and yawned before stopping at the diamond branch. "I know you have questions Steve. But I'm busy." He finalized before taking a turn into the tunnel at the bottom of the mine. I watched the door of the diamond mine blankly until Lapis barked and nuzzled my leg. She stuck her head through the gap in the wall and stared longingly at the light of the surface. She panted and whimpered, wanting permission to return home.

"Yeah we should go." I sighed and started to climb the stairs.

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><p>It was well past evening now and the town of survivors was quiet. The remains of my dinner rested on the wooden plate in the dying torch light. Out the window I could see orange lights glowing dimly around the town. The symbol of Notch was lit up as always and the farms were protected by the lantern in the centre of town. I smiled at the serenity of the town. Surprisingly, Herobrine was telling the truth and the survivors didn't hate me. I leaned back in my chair and stared at the cobblestone ceiling. I didn't realize how tired I was until I was awoken rudely by Michael.<p>

"WAKE UP!" Michael screamed as he shook me. I opened my eyes to a raised hand. I gasped and instinctively threw a punch at the older man, hitting him in the stomach. Michael doubled back and hit the wall with a heavy grunt. Before I knew it, my sword was in my hand and at the ready. Michael glared at me and coughed into his hand, something red landed in his palm. "The nerve-…" he mumbled.

"What do you want Michael?" I asked defensively.

"I'm going to tell the whole town about you! I'm going to tell the town Herobrine is real and the both of you will be executed! Him for his crimes and you, YOU for being by his side through all of it!" He growled roughly.

_He tried to kill me to, you know?! _I lowered my sword and tilted my head. "What is your problem with me?"

Michael coughed again, more blood landing in his palm, but he didn't give an answer. Instead, he huffed and staggered out my home, coughing up more blood on his way out. The lingering smell of alcohol stuck in the room after he left. I sighed and walked outside. The town bustled and moved in harmony as always. Villagers and workers alike held deep conversations and traded peacefully. The atmosphere of the community tended to lift the worry of the outside world. Even with the mycelium growing on the ground, the world under this mountain was far livelier than anything I've seen on the outside. I sighed again, I hadn't been outside in such a long time. The last time I had seen the real surface wasn't long after I had escaped the flaming destruction that used to be Liberty Gallows. I remember Lapis and I walked through the withered wasteland with several other of the survivors. The town was small then.

Dead trees littered the plains and mountain tops. Wither skeletons and their pale brothers stalked the barren wasteland, killing everything that obstructed them. It seems Herobrine had lost control of the most brainless mob on the planet. He didn't seem affected though. One of the men who accompanied me on that trip was an experienced fighter from the west. He had been travelling in the direction of Liberty Gallows when the Wither attacked. He had twelve victories to his name and was undefeated in the Champions League. I guess now he would be the champion forever, since there would be no Champions League to fight in. Even if there was, there'd be no way for him to beaten.

His name was Wade and was the second best swordsman I'd ever seen. The first was obvious to anyone in the world, even if they wanted to deny it. We had come across a small, broken village. It was indistinguishable from any other village. Just a mess of ash, bone and scorched cobblestone. We had searched through the blacksmith, church and library without encountering a single mob, unfortunately we hadn't found any spoils either. In fact we had spent most of the day searching, to no avail. By sunset we planned to leave and head back to Sanctuary, but we were stopped. Out of nowhere, a hoard of Wither skeletons ambushed us and Wade didn't make it out.

I woke myself from my thoughts and found myself to be on a wooden bench in the centre of the little town. The villagers passed by me without word, as usual. I blankly watched the blacksmith forge the iron swords the town needed. Part of me was proud of the little community that I founded. But the fact that I was under appreciated by the community stung deep. I got up from my seat and passed by the manmade pond. My reflection rippled through the water.

_Wait…_

I looked curiously at the water again. My reflection looked back at me as it should. My blue eyes seemed alien when opposed to what I've been met with the past few years. But the constant ripples in the water began to worry me. The pond never rippled like this. There was nothing heavy enough in the world to do this. Yet the water kept rippling. Only seconds later, the ground began to rumble. Immediately the town was sent into panic as the rumbling grew.

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><p><strong>Dun Dun DUUUUN! Cliffhanger. What's the rumbling I wonder...<strong>

**I'm glad I got over my writers block and now all of you can read this. FINALLY.**

**I'm sorry to all those who have been waiting ages for this chapter.**

**Read and Review guys!**

**Hope you enjoyed**

**-L**


	4. Aftermath

**I'm so sorry that this took forever to upload. I had a complete writers block and got completely lost with where in the plot I was. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I wish it was longer but I just wanted to get it up. Hopefully I can get the next one up a bit quicker next time. Okay Enjoy guys.**

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><p>The air was heavy with dust, but the air reeked of decay rather than dirt. The serene and beautiful village I once knew had become the war ground for humanity. What fighters we had struck roughly at the ambushing mobs. Corpses littered the mycelium, turning the purple grass a deep red. My arms ached as I swung my sword again and again. It was hard enough to breathe with the dust in the air, hyperventilating from lack of energy didn't help. My sword was going blunt quickly as I cut down the oncoming mobs. The stone and dirt roof of our mountain had caved in and Wither skeletons climbed through and down the hill of fallen rubble in endless waves. There seemed to be no stopping the forces of The Wither. I don't know why they ambushed so suddenly, or with such force. I was surrounded with a blur of black and red. The Withers carried a disgusting stench of decay, ash and sulfur. No matter where I stood, my boots got soaked with blood.<p>

I found a break in the attack and made use of it. As a stalked over the mycelium the loud _crunch _of bones under my feet rung out. I checked all the homes I could and found no survivors. My heart sank at the thought of what little humanity we had being torn away so viciously. More and more chaos erupted from behind me I could tell that we weren't going to win the fight. It seemed our fate was in the hands of the Gods, but the Gods didn't seem to care. I made my around the ruins of the village, fighting off every Wither that crossed my path. From the front of the cave I could see everything. To say it was horror was an understatement. What was left of the village was painted red. The bodies of fallen wither and human alike scattered the ground. I shivered at the disaster that had befallen my safe haven.

I could see some of the knights fighting off near the central torch, but they were vastly out-numbered. The weight of my sword couldn't stop my hand from shaking. Withers kept pouring through the hole and had begun advancing on me. With my sword nearly blunt, I was done for. My vision was filled with a cloud of black and grey bone, separated by the glint of serrated iron swords. I took a deep and refreshing breath, thinking it would be my last.

For a moment, among the dark, nightmare mobs I saw something. It was far in the distance, but it was something. Seconds later I saw it again. That familiar glow slipped the cracks of the skeleton army and immediately, I felt that I could survive. As the Withers moved towards me, the knights all screamed in terror. I knew that its cause wasn't pain, or the Wither overwhelming them, but the one thing everyone was afraid of.

Without thinking I ran into the crowd of Withers and swung back and forth. I could hear the snapping of bones as my sword made contact. In return I received scratches all over my exposed arms and face from their cursed, boney fingers. When I made it out of the thick hoard, I noticed that the knights had been made victim to their forces. In the corner of my eye, I saw Him standing there. He was standing just at the top of the mine. From where I was standing to where Herobrine was standing was a clear path. The Wither may be rebellious and serve under a different king, but they avoided Him anyway. I forced myself not to look back as a made my way towards him. The bones snapping under my feet with every step. Without a word I walked past him and into the mine.

…

I sat in a natural formed nook in the cave and watched the lava bubble away. The adrenaline had worn off and I felt like I'd been run over with a minecart. I was starving but lacked the appetite to eat. If it could get worse then I'd certainly be dead, but I was stuck with a pounding headache. I could sense the mobs in the caves nearby. I faintly heard Herobrine instruct them to keep an eye on me while he found out what happened. My watch told me it was nearing sunset now. I sighed and threw a loose pebble into the pool of molten rock. It sprung up as the intense heat hit the air bubbles inside and rebounded off the ceiling back into the liquid. Footsteps echoed from entrance to the diamond mine and caught my attention. I watched as Herobrine dawdled in with his hands clenching his hair. He stood in the doorway and dropped his arms as he sighed.

"That's… That's a massacre if ever I've seen one," He said with surprise in his voice. "And I've seen plenty." He smugly slipped his hands into his pockets and rocked on his heels.

At that I sighed and pulled my knees into my chest. The intense heat from the lava didn't do anything to help the chill that constantly creeped along my spine. I was quite certainly the sole survivor of the murder of the last of humanity.

"Do you know if anyone else lived?" I asked flatly. Getting my hopes up wouldn't be great in this situation.

"No one human I don't think." He said as he walked over to the lava and sat down beside it, clearly enjoying the heat. "But on the upside, there was more dead Withers than humans." He grinned widely, like a child. I couldn't help but glare at him. His attempt to comfort me seemed like a futile one. Cheer isn't his strong point.

"Because there were more Wither to kill."

"True" he sighed. "But as far as I'm concerned. You are it." He looked at me with a somewhat sorrowful expression. I don't think he really knows how much it hurts. "That little 'shrine' to my brother though is completely intact. Not even a drop of blood on the floor." He didn't seem shocked about that. I, however, was intrigued.

"What do you mean?" I raised a brow.

He shrugged and began to stare back into the lava. "You know… It's completely clean." He told. "Bodies piled up along the fence but that's as close as it got." He scratched his arm as whispered something foul to his brother, "Stupid bloody Notch." Somehow, that made me chuckle. I think it was the fact that he knew the almighty could hear him. He was fortunate that he could get away with things like that. Suddenly I was reminded that I had to ask him about that.

"Where you in the Nether the _whole _time?" I asked as swung around to sit on a colder piece of stone. He was silent for a few moments before he spoke.

"No." he breathed out. "No, I went to- or rather tried to get to the Aether but…" He closed his eyes. "According to the Guard, 'Notch is away and I'm not needed there.'" He imitated the accented tone that was native to the Aether. Herobrine had mostly lost that accent but it was still there when you listened for it. "I will tell you now Steve, everyone in the Aether are a royal pain. Go there for the scenery, not for the people."

I smiled lightly, "I'll keep that in mind when I'm next looking to travel." I was disappointed that he didn't get to talk to Notch. How could he be 'away' at a time like this? It seemed only the Almighty himself would know.

…

It happened to be that I'd fallen asleep by the lava. The warmth wrapping me in a blanket that scared away the repetitive chills that ran down my spine. I hadn't dreamed in a long time and it seems tonight was no exception. My unconscious was filled with nothing but a blackness, at least it was better than nightmares. I slowly woke and was met with a series of chirps and foreign sounds. Though my vision was blurry from sleep I could tell that Herobrine was lying on his back, looking up at Enderman who he was consulting with. They were talking quietly. Behind the Enderman was a white creature. It was about a third of its size and covered in fur. Its feet were a dark red. I stared at it for a while then it occurred to me.

"Lapis" I said subconsciously. Herobrine, the Enderman and Lapis all looked in my direction with lightning speed. Without a word from anyone, Lapis approached quickly and leapt into my lap. I stroked her fur, only just now realizing how much I missed it. Even if I wasn't aware about it. The Enderman chimed a final _chirp _and teleported away. Herobrine sighed and covered his face with his hands.

"This isn't good." he groaned loudly before mumbling to himself. He sounded extremely worried. That itself, wasn't good.


	5. Rest

**I don't have much to say for this one. I'm happy with it. Enjoy**

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><p>The next few days were tiring. The warm yet dim glow of the lava that flowed far beneath the planet's surface was the guiding light to our destination. I followed drowsily behind Herobrine as we weaved our way in and out of thousands of cave systems. We hadn't slept, for neither of us knew when it night. I starved more often than not, due to the lack of food in the cold, moist stone corridors. Lapis limped weakly behind me but with more energy. I was too selfless for my own good and sacrificed what little food I had to her. Leaving myself with the tiniest of rations. The sound of flowing water always peaked my attention and I would stray from our path to mine for the blue liquid. I would drink as much as I could as fast as I could before filling one or two bottles. Finding my way back to Herobrine never proved difficult. The caverns were large and hollow with many open levels. There were more ravines than caves down here and Herobrine could easily be spotted here or there. The bright, white glow of his blank eyes gave him away far too easily than he would like. Yet even though I've been seeing that sight for years now, I don't think I'll ever get used to it. There is just <em>something <em>about those eyes that ignite a gripping fear like no other inside every man and his dog.

As I threw the last bottle I had left, now empty, back into my worn and torn inventory bag, Herobrine spoke for the first time in a while.

"I'm worried that the castle will be too overrun to get into by the time we reach it." He admitted. His normally confident tone had ran away hand in hand with his appetite and ability to teleport. Even though the Wither wasn't affecting him as badly as before, they are still setting him back. He told me once that the power was his favourite, because '_No one knows where you'll be next'. _I'll give that one to him, it's a genius thought for anyone. The unenthusiastic words echoed off the stone walls and fell onto no ears but my own.

The Enderman in the cave had informed the God that his castle had begun to take fire from the Wither. Apparently it wasn't pretty and the Wither were as relentless there as they were at Sanctuary. It's been about four days since we were told about the incident and without Herobrine there to command his undead army, the castle was most likely taken along with the Throne of the Nether. I know for a fact that losing a castle wouldn't hit Herobrine as hard as losing his throne. Building a fortress is easier than building an empire.

"What do we do if it is?"

He sighed and shrugged, without a word. Then he remained quiet as we continued through the ravine.

…

~Two days later~

…

When I first began mining I did it for the freedom. The freedom from people. The freedom from orders. The freedom from expectations. I felt happy mining. The treasures I found were mine to keep and I could be the richest person in the Kingdom, so long as I found enough Diamonds and Emeralds. When I moved to Liberty Gallows that had all changed. My riches and spoils had to be handed over to the King. That which wasn't, was swiftly stolen by my doppelganger. Until Herobrine eased up on the theft of my goods, I was one of the poorest people in the village. I didn't have a business to bring in money and there was nothing to trade. I would have thought that the only miner in the town would be given some sort of compensation for all the hard work. I should've quit and moved somewhere else. Who knows? The Zombies probably get better pay than I did. Of all the mobs, I envied zombies the most. They didn't need to eat but they are always hungry. Except for two weak points, they are totally invincible, and the whole world was their buffet.

My body had given in to exhaustion and I was lying down on a flimsy but somewhat comfortable bed. It was one of Herobrine's old camps he'd set up in his many travels down here. The stone ceiling was as dull and grey as ever but I can't expect much better. Stone is easily a thousand times better than sitting underneath a block of gravel. I was all alone in the room. The fear of mobs was starting to settle in. The fact that both Herobrine and Lapis had gone off to look for food and water wasn't helping me at all. I don't know how far they went or when they'll be back. Conveniently, Herobrine's appetite had returned so now couldn't be a more perfect time to rest. He would have gone scavenging for food sooner or later. He probably had stashes located all over the place. Unfortunately, none of those places were close by.

They hadn't been gone long and I decided to take the time to get some shut eye. A little bit of rest would do me good for the road ahead.

…

_I remained silent as I crouched down on the obsidian beneath me. The quiet bubbling of the lava wasn't near enough to cover the sound of His footsteps. I had no idea if he knew I was around, but with my luck, he had detected me long before I detected him. The cave I was in had one entrance and the walls, roof and floor were pure obsidian. This cave was filled to the seams with lava before I struck an underground creek and flooded the room. I had hit the jackpot. There was easily two stacks and half of obsidian to mine. _

_I could hear Herobrine treading on top of the obsidian above me, my eyes glued to the hole I'd mined out for a door. My heart pounded as the footsteps hung around. Herobrine had stopped most of his terror inflictions upon me some weeks ago but when we faced each other, he was still rough, and I was still afraid._

_I knew I shouldn't have gone mining tonight. Of all nights this was the worst. The day had come. All Hallows Eve, more commonly known around the town as Halloween. The humble village I lived in was adorned in all things scary and ghastly as the folk celebrated. The festivities of the town were spectacular, villagers dressed as witches. Blacksmiths dressed as zombies. Children dressed as Creepers and Enderman and everything in between. Jack-o-lanterns lined the streets and cobwebs hung from the lights. It was a night where no one was afraid of the dark. It was night where they should've feared the dark the most._

_Herobrine was at his prime on All Hallows Eve. It was _His Night_ and his night alone to walk the surface freely and in full control. On All Hallows Eve, Herobrine overpowered every God and their brother _combined! _I was dumb enough to descend into the shadowy depths of caves tonight. I was probably going to pay for it. _

_I caught movement outside the door. It was then that I realized the footsteps had disappeared from above me. Then, with a sly grin on his face, He walked in._

"Didn't think I would find you down here?" _I moved his hands behind him and held them behind his back, tilting his head as he spoke. _"That was a stupid thought to say the least."

_He didn't move. He just hung around the doorway and observed the room. I could feel the power radiating off of him from ten blocks away. I was regretting my decision to go mining even more._

"May I ask? Why aren't you up top, giving candy to the children and celebrating with the other mortals?" _he pointed up as he spoke, with a sickeningly innocent expression._

_I stood up and leaned against the wall, holding my pickaxe close in case he decided to rush at me. Like it would do any good though._

"Just wanted to do something different for a change. They prepare all week anyway." _I said shakily_. "There is next year too…"

"Hmmm," _He hummed with a smile, _"and the year after that, and the year after that, and every year for the next eternity." _His eyes glowed brighter when he smiled to himself. "_This night is something I don't ever want to give up."

_Not wanting the air to fall silent I ask him the same question, _"What about you?"

_It was now that he slowly sauntered around the room running his hand along the smooth, warm obsidian. The dark purple rock melted briefly as his fingers brushed along it. I could feel my heart trying to climb into my throat._

"Oh, I've done a bit of a run around. It's all the same as last year." _He sighed and watched the obsidian bubble at his touch. "_Besides, I'm not going to ruin it for the mortals."

_It occurred to me that no one ever speaks of a death on Halloween. I've often wondered why he doesn't seem to take advantage of his heightened abilities and kill everyone like he's always dreamed. _"Why do you never kill anyone on Halloween?" _I asked curiously as he continued to circle around the room. I mimicked him, making sure to keep an even distance between us._

"Well, obviously," _He scoffed "_If you were the most hated man on the planet, surely you wouldn't kill everyone on the one night they give you complete freedom. That would be stupid idea." _He finished with a chuckle. My Doppelganger continued around the room, admiring the seamless obsidian that we were encased in. All along the wall beside him was a deep scar, left inside the rock by the immense heat that the God radiated. _

"True." _I nodded. As my back brushed along the tough stone, I felt a gap in the wall and found that he was now on the back end of the room. He knew what I was thinking, and smiled deviously. He spoke before I could._

"You aren't leaving me so soon? The night is young." _He gestured to the sky that was hidden from us. "_Or has your taste for the festivities reawakened?"

_I raised a brow at him. He seemed so much more formal than usual. "_No no, I just feel like I've mined all I can…" _I lowered my pick slightly, slipping into a more relaxed position. "_Why so regal tonight?"

_He shrugged. "_Sorry. But it suits the character. Besides, isn't tonight the night we all wear masks?"

_He has a point, so I nodded in agreement. I began taking steps out of the door way and Herobrine sighed in disgust. Then he began to move toward the centre of the room. I hadn't been expecting what happened next. A pair of rotted and decaying fingers gripped my shoulders tightly, the nails ripping through my shirt and scratching my skin. I dropped my pickaxe in surprise and now I was being held too tightly to move and pick it up. Before me, Herobrine swayed side to side as he walked. Pouting and looking at the ground, he came closer to me block by block. His feet stopped only a meter away and he clicked his tongue before looking at me with those glowing eyes._

"Now that you mention it… one life couldn't hurt." _He raised his fist and threw it into my chest a lightning speed. Everything went dark._

…

I stared up at the ceiling, breathing heavily with exhaustion. My clothes stuck to me, saturated with sweat. I could hear my heart pounding in the silent room. Slowly I began to calm down. My breathing slowed down, my heart rate with it. I sat up and leaned against the cold rock. I never knew how refreshing it was until now. My vision was still hazy from sleep but began to clear up quickly in the dim light of the Red Stone torches that lit up the room. The red glow they emitted was too dark for my eyes, but knowing the Herobrine can't look at Glowstone without being blinded, this type of torch was probably better for him.

The campsite was empty. There was no sign of the room being touched in my sleep. The stone was unscathed and the dust completely settled. The air was cold and damp. Not a taste of heat lingered, which meant that Herobrine had not returned. My watch was broken, I had no way of telling what time it was. Which means that I could have been asleep for hours. I sighed and used my arm to wipe away the beads of sweat on my head. I ran it over my hair, the moisture slicking it down. I sighed in defeat. My nightmares of Herobrine had long gone, or so I thought. I wasn't that afraid anymore. Yes, those accursed eyes of his were still creepy to say the least. But for him to attack me, knock me unconscious even, was rare. Halloween last year was the most recent time I could recall. That was months ago. It turns out that memory still haunted my subconscious, even to this day.

…

I let the water fall over me as I rested in the cold pool. Just outside the camp was a waterfall. A natural shower those who needed it. I definitely needed it. I hadn't bothered to get undressed because I could just find a lava pool and let the heat from there dry me through. I had removed my boots however and now they sat in ankle deep water. The liquid soaking through the mud and dirt that covered the soles. It's about time they got a clean. As a rubbed the stains from my shirt and pants, I couldn't help but think of what I looked like from a distance. Probably some sort of sad and smelly hermit. I smiled to myself and chuckled. _How embarrassing._


	6. The Infirmary

**On with the story. Now that I've _finally _gotten to where I need to be, I can go on with the plot. Enjoy my lovelies. **

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><p>Some time had passed and now I was eating my fill. Herobrine had returned with armfuls of food. Where he got it from, I had no idea. It tasted good and that was what mattered. My clothes were toasty warm from drying by the lava and I hadn't felt so clean since the world went to shit. Herobrine too looked as though he was cleaner, but he was a neat man most of the time so it was hard to tell. Lapis had finally rinsed the blood that stained her paws completely off. They must have found some water sources on their expedition.<p>

The three of us sat humbly around a fire that cooked our food at a perfect rate. The delicious smell of whatever we were eating filled the cave. I could some mobs groaning from not far away. They could probably smell it too. Herobrine licked his fingers and reached for another piece of meat. When he told me he was hungry, he wasn't joking. I had eaten more meat than I could count and was leaning against a rock, humming to myself happily.

Herobrine had most certainly eating his filling three times over. A few minutes after I'd finished my meal he finally stopped. The make shit grill, however, was still overflowing with meat. We sat quietly for a while. The sound of Lapis's teeth grinding on the bone of what she was chewing barely made a sound at all. Then, He broke the silence.

"Don't… Don't bother asking what meat that was." He sat up and resting his hands in his lap. "You'll probably throw it all up." He finished with a smile before scratching his cheek roughly.

I raised an eyebrow. To full to be bothered talking. I don't care what it was, as long as it tasted good and didn't kill me. I rubbed my hands over my face to wake myself up. The built up stubble from the past few days scratched my palms. It was kind of satisfying.

…

The air was starting smell more and more like the decay of surface. The stench of the Wither used to make me gag, but now I've gotten used to it. I still can't believe that I used to complain about rotting garbage around the village. I sighed and stared at the back of my counterpart. He was walking with all the confidence and authority that he usually had. He held his head high. The most out of place thing about him at the moment was his hands resting lazily in his pockets. Somehow though, he still looked completely in charge.

As I observed the area around me I began to notice some small changes in the environment. The solid grey of the stone was being interrupted by small cracks and a clearly polished surface. Moss grew in between the cracks and I could see tiny little silver bugs roaming around the floor and walls. They hid between the bricks whenever we approached them though.

"Are we in a Stronghold?" I asked curiously. I've heard all about them. Ancient ruins from a long lost civilization that lived under ground. These strongholds held libraries full of their work and passages into mineshafts where they would dig for resources. I'd never found one though. They were extremely rare. Only about three have ever been heard of.

"Yes, actually." He simply spoke back as we rounded a corner and climbed a flight of stairs. At the top was an iron door, it was shiny and had no scratches or rust. It had to have been brand new. Herobrine opened it with ease and I followed him into another maze of corridors. I prayed to Notch that he knew where he was going.

"We aren't lost, Steve." He reassured as he glanced back at my direction. I knew he had read my mind. "In fact, we are right beneath the castle." He spoke with a certain lightness to his voice. He seemed happy to have finally made it. Walking all this way must have been difficult for him since his teleportation was gone.

The walls around us radiated heat and it was a welcome change after the cold depths of the caverns. The stronghold was bigger than I could have ever imagined. If I was simply exploring it I would be lost. It would take me days upon days to find my way in, around and out of a place like this. Along the way, Herobrine explained to me the lore of strongholds. He explained the history of the old civilization. They were an old people whose lifetimes spanned half a century. They were the ancestors of the villagers on the surface today. The villagers I know can live for well over a century and a half. He told me about the alphabet they invented and the stories they told. That they worshipped Notch and any other belief was punishable by death. He said to me that it's what the Old People believed that Notch wanted. I highly doubt our dear creator would take pleasure in the slaughter of others because they didn't think he was real. That was Herobrine's job.

He explained that when he found this stronghold, it was in extremely poor condition. He spent months rebuilding it brick by brick. Then he connected it to the surface. The stronghold now leads directly up into the basement level of his castle. Which, hopefully wasn't overrun by Wither.

By the time he had finished talking, I spotted a strange looking structure. It was suspended over what looked like a pool of lava. I could see the blocks that made up the structure. Whatever it was, it chilled me to the bone. The pale yellow of the brick was laced with a dark green-blue design that glimmered in the warm orange light. I stared at it for a while. I'd never seen something like it before. It was strangely beautiful in a way.

"You probably shouldn't go in there." Herobrine said from behind me. "By all means get closer and have a look. But, you know, don't get _too _close." He walked down a staircase and through the iron-gate. I followed cautiously. He came to a stop at the top of another stone staircase and looked down into the frame of the structure. I stayed on the ground and walked around the frame. Admiring the mystical stone.

"What is it?" I finally broke the silence. He looked up at me, his eyes glowing brightly.

"It's a portal. An End Portal to be precise." He crouched down and wrapped his hand around a large green object, tearing it from its place in the frame. The object was weirdly spherical. Something every one denies the existence of. Yet here he was, holding one. He held it up for me to see. "This is an Eye of Ender. Something very hard to acquire. These are used to open this portal." He nodded down to it. "How many of these you need is obvious. But I'm not telling you how to make them." He stood up and dropped the Eye back into the frame. It landed with a glass like _'tink' _and rested. The yellow and black pupil stared up at the ceiling. "I don't need you causing trouble."

I crossed my arms and frowned at the portal frame. "I don't think I want to know."

"Good." He murmured as he observed the portal some more. I did the same. The elegant handiwork of who-or-whatever made this was beyond anything. It left me wondering.

"Who makes these?" I asked, still admiring the stone.

"Believe it or not, the Endermen do." His gaze turned to me. I raised an eyebrow. Endermen were smart, no doubt. But with claws like theirs? I don't think they could craft something like this.

"I'm serious Steve. It takes hundreds of years. They build these frames using the terrain from their dimension. The crystal they use on top is the difficult bit. Enderman actually have to sacrifice themselves for the creation of this frame. You can't get and Ender Pearl from a live Enderman."

I nodded thoughtfully. "I know that. But what do they do with the pearl?"

"The crack it into tiny fragments and cover the top half of the frame. Then they carve out the rest. All the little details are entirely identical and every face, symmetrical."

"Incredible." I murmured. I was astonished that the Enderman were capable of something like this.

Then he spoke up again. "Do you remember that dragon I spoke about all those months ago?"

I searched my memory for the mention of dragon. He had said something about it a few times before. "Yeah…"

He gestured towards the portal. "That's where you'll find her." He had a small smile on his face as he spoke. He always smiled when he spoke about the dragon. After some silent moments he clicked his tongue. "Well, we best be on our way." He turned around and hopped down the stairs. "The more time we waste the more chance my castle has to be overrun." He calmly but quickly left the room, leaving me to chase after him.

Lapis was waiting at the top. She barked eagerly when we reached the main corridor. We walked in silence for a few more minutes. We reached yet another flight of stairs and a welcoming warmth began to fill the corridor from above. At the top of the stairs was a wide open room. The interior was adorned with far too many beds to count. Multiple chandeliers, crafted from the bluest diamond, hung from the high ceiling, creating a strip of a calming orange light through the middle. Along the walls were banners. They appeared to be placed in sections, four from what I could see. Green ones to my immediate left, a creepers depressed face in the middle. To my right, black banners with a two identical purple patterns on both sides. I could only think of an Enderman when I saw it.

As I continued to observe the incredible room, I heard Herobrine whisper to himself, "Finally". We began walking through the hall, I made sure to keep my pace leveled with his as he was moving slower than usual. His eyes brightened as he scanned the room, until he stopped moving all together and searched the area from our new position in the middle. "Nobody is here…" he said with a concerned tone. His voice pierced the eerie silence and echoed off the dark walls.

I stood awkwardly next to him, looking around as well. Nothing seemed out of place to me. But then again, I didn't live here. "This is your place… isn't it?" I questioned, looking at him for an answer. He only nodded and began to approach a shelf that hung above one of the beds. It was lined with bottles of all different shapes and sizes. They were definitely potions of some sort. Herobrine ran a finger along the edge of the shelf and clicked his tongue before wiping his finger on his shirt.

"Wh-What is it?"

"Dust." He said, disgusted. "There is never dust here. There shouldn't be." He narrowed his eyes as he looked in distance. When I looked behind me, I noticed a large set of doors. The detail was too small to make out but they looked extraordinary from where I was standing. No doubt crafted by Herobrine himself. The man had an eye for architecture and such.

"So, what is this room then?" I asked, sitting down on the red blankets of the one of the beds.

He copied me, sitting directly across. After all that walking, a nice soft bed did the trick. I just wish I could get a good sleep in it. Unfortunately, I had the strange sense that there were monsters nearby…

"The Infirmary." He sighed, "Where all the injured mobs come to rest and heal. They are cared for mostly by the Endermen." He pointed to one of the banners behind him, a grey one with a dark black skull in centre. "These represent which-mob-goes-where if it is injured. The one behind me is Skeletons, behind you is zombies,"

I spun around and saw that a blue banner hung up behind me, to represent the zombies was an orange sun in the middle. I turned back to look at my double. "Why a sun?"

"Cause zombies burn in the sun…?" He shrugged, apparently he wasn't sure either.

I smiled "Why not make a zombies face? I mean the creepers, Endermen and Skeletons all look pretty reasonable." I gestured around the room to prove my point. Herobrine didn't bother following. Instead he frowned.

"Too much effort. Besides it want my idea. I built the infirmary for obvious reasons. The Endermen are in charge of the rest. If they divide the room, then they divide the room. They like to be productive, so I let them." He shrugged again.

"Do you have a banner to signify where you go if you're hurt?" I raised an eyebrow. I wonder if the Enderemen where _that _productive.

He chuckle and nodded with a smile. "Yep. Right at the front there." He pointed to a bed near the doors. From what I could see, it had blue sheets not red, but I couldn't make out the banner above it.

"What does it look like?"

"You'll see it in a second when we head up stairs. It's brown with a golden apple in the centre." He drew a symbol in the air as he spoke, I take it that was the apple he talked about.

"What? Why a golden apple? Why brown? That's not even your style."

He laughed at my sudden line of questioning. "It's my family crest. Notch made it up. The Endermen followed accordingly." He finished with another shrug and stood up, stretching his back.

I mumbled a small 'oh' and stood up too. Herobrine stared at the doors for a few seconds the glanced towards me.

"On with the tour I guess." He said with a chirp as he walked with pride toward the doors.

I couldn't help but smile as I followed. For someone as demonic as him, he had an outstanding sense of humor.


	7. Helpful Details

**I know its a bit late but Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Thanksgiving and Happy New Year to all my lovely readers from around the world!**

**I've been busy messing around with the games I got for Christmas and have only been able to upload this now. Hop you guys all had a great holiday.**

**Enjoy.**

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><p>The incredible detail on the door wasn't foreshadowing what lied in the room beyond. Herobrine forcefully swung open the large dark oak wood door, leading me into another large room, more open than the last and in ruin. The normally clean and organized sense of Herobrine's castle was missing, robbed by the destructive nature of the Wither. I frowned as my eyes scanned the room that once appeared to be a library. Books of all ages, colours and categories were strewn carelessly across the stone tiled floor. Bookshelves had toppled over each other and paper dressed every empty corner.<p>

Candles and torches had fallen from their perches on the walls and tables, thankfully unlit. The cleanest place of the whole room was the central staircase. It seemed unharmed, save for a few leafs of paper here or there. Beside me, Herobrine was clearly about to break. Apparently, no one ruins his library but him. His fists were clenched, eyes glaring and glowing intensely. I could feel the anger rolling off of him, his temper warmed the air. I knew better than to hang around him in that state, so I decided moved to the left, observing the scene more closely.

I was careful to mind my step, the last thing I needed was to make him even angrier. My feet moved slowly over the tiles, my eyes scanning for any sort of evidence pointing to who did this. Although it did seem obvious. The room was deathly quiet and my ears strained to find any sort of sound. I tiptoed over worn books and picked up others. The most intact ones were my target. I didn't know how important they were but if they could be saved, then they would be saved.

Pretty quickly I had a stacked up to three dozen books neatly on a table. But that didn't even make a dent in the damage that was done. The library itself was gigantic. Hundreds of thousands of books filled the room, even though most were on the floor some were still tidily in place. The bookcases stretched up high, about 12 blocks or so. Ladders attached to rails stretched the height to allow access to the higher books. I pouted in knowing the room was probably the grandest room in the entire castle. The wooden bookshelves were carved with intricate detail, showing scenes of trees and forests. Animals hid among the foliage. The craftsmanship was ancient, you'd be lucky to find a man who carved like this nowadays. Or rather before the world went to shit.

I had gotten lost in thought, the slightest sound shocking me back into reality. I turned around and immediately caught sight of Herobrine walking up the stairs and up to a large, black tinted window. He stood in front of it and stared out onto the gardens below. His fists were still clenched and flickering with embers. His whole posture was tense, so it was in my best interest to keep my distance. I didn't need to make that mistake again.

I bit my lip and continued around the room, the expansive bookcases acting as a maze. My eyes traveled over the spines of the books and as I got further towards the back I noticed a change in the texture of the book coverings. Even the text, indicating what they were about seemed to be in a different language. The books at the far back were leather bound and were so fragile, I felt like looking at them would turn them to dust. I ran my finger along the back of one of the thick ones, collecting dust. The leather was smooth and very high quality. I was tempted to pick it up and read it, if I knew the language. Regardless, I restrained myself. The ancient books seemed to be of most value, and should go untouched.

I passed under the staircase, which had bookshelves stacked underneath. Thankfully, mostly untouched. Around the corner and back out in the open was more ruin. Books strewn across the floor, pages ripped and torn. Centuries of history lost. I kept tiptoeing over the fragile work, making my way back to where I began. I looked back towards Herobrine, he was still occupied with whatever lied outside that window. Still deep in thought. Still pissed off beyond the heavens. While I was distracted, I accidently stepped on a book. As soon as I noticed I pulled my foot upwards, not wanting to do more damage. The book was a small one, thin too. Much thinner than the others that lay around it. The leather that bound it was dyed black and tied shut with a red string. There was no title or writing engraved into the outside of the book. With one quick glance at Herobrine, who was still occupied with his book, I reached down and picked up the small document.

It was smooth and light to hold. The leather was aged, yet soft. I admired the craftsmanship as I turned the book over in my hands. I walked over to a table and sat down on it, the wood creaked under my weight. Slowly, I unwound the red string, opening the book. The pages where a crisp white and seemed only to have been touched once, when they were written on. I was taken aback at the quality of the writing. It wasn't so old that it was a different language. It was more modern than most I'd seen. Still, it was probably worth a fortune.

I flicked through the first few pages, taking much care not to tear them. The room was quiet and with Herobrines sharp hearing, I knew he could hear my heart beat from blocks away. He was going to hear a page tear, for sure. A few minutes later, I'd gotten a fair way in and had found myself looking at detailed drawings of the Wither mobs. They were ordered by class, Soldier, Brute, Caster, Wyvern and King. The soldiers appeared to be the most common class. They were described to carry iron swords and were half a block taller than the average human. They were the same class that littered the wasteland that used to be our home. The brutes were bigger, wore armour and attacked with their bony fists. A scratch from them could cause the wither effect without doubt. There were records of lost limbs from run-ins with these creatures. Casters weren't dangerous but they were rare. Casters were the Wither equivalent of witches. They could only be seen around the King however. They were smaller than the other Withers. A Wyvern was those snake like creatures that Herobrine and I encountered in the Castle at Liberty Gallows. The drawing was nearly exact to the real thing. I shivered just thinking about them, I used to think a hollowed eyed doppelganger was creepy. I was wrong. The King was the strongest of all classes and could only be summoned into existence. Once that happened, you either kill it or succumb to its forces. Killing it was hard, and trying to live in its world of destruction and decay was harder. The picture was exact to the creature in every detail. Its three heads and exposed ribcage were a dark black, contrasting to its six pitch white eyes. The page next to the Wither Kings looked like an updated version. The picture was the same, save for a blue, armour detail that covered most of the King. Next to the drawing it said '_Second Stage King & Projectiles.' _I didn't notice the so-called projectiles until then. Blue skulls with wide open jaws and sharp teeth that drew a trail of smoke were ever it flew. The smoke in the drawing trailed back into one of the lower heads.

I dropped the book into my lap and groaned. My heart sank and my stomach churned. Killing the Wither was harder than anyone could imagine. This undead creature from the deepest, darkest layer of hell was an unfathomable level of evil. Herobrine was standing just over there and even he, nor this dragon he spoke about, could be as evil as this thing. I sighed and rubbed tiredly at my eyes. At the same time, my stomach growled. Reminding me that I hadn't eaten for over a day.

"Is something the matter?" Herobrines voice rung from behind me, causing me to jump from my seat and nearly fall to the floor. After catching myself and focusing on the still angered god, I replied.

"Just everything. The Wither, the world." I looked guiltily at my dusty boots. "Food." At that there was a small chuckle from my counterpart. Before he walked over next to me and picked up the book I was reading. He studied the page before shutting and tying it as he spoke.

"Well your library isn't destroyed is it? Your castle hasn't been over run and your soldiers haven't been slaughtered." I looked up and he took a step forward, raising the book in the air. My tired brain didn't process the action and suddenly Herobrine hit me across the face with the back of the book. "So shut up." With that he threw the book onto the table. It slid and bumped into a candlestick, coming to a stop on the dusty table. I rubbed my cheek, now stinging from the impact of the leather. Herobrine sighed and surveyed the damage of the room.

"It's a mess. It'd be cleaner if a tornado blew through here."

"I dunno…" I questioned his opinion, moving to stand beside him. With the amount of paper and books that littered the floor, that was unlikely.

"Steve, just shut up." He bluntly ordered, shaking his head. He turned around and began to walk up the stairs again. His boots padded softly against the red rug that ran up the flight. I took one last look around, thinking as I scoped the scene. When all of this was over, Herobrine would surely clean up the library, but with all the damaged books I had the feeling it wouldn't be a very big library. I followed Herobrine up the stairs and approached the window. Herobrine was leaning against a railing just right of the staircase and was watching a medium sized archway. I don't know what had him fascinated, but I had a feeling I was going to find out.

The window was a different story. What Herobrine had said before just made sense in my head. Below the window was a garden, the once green grass overrun with mycelium, the bushes and trees dead, the pathways crawling with Wither. I could see all the way to the perimeter wall. Atop the wall, I could clearly see Wither patrolling. Killing any mobs that crossed their path and throwing the corpses into the garden. A sandstone path lead up from the castle and into the centre of the garden. A fountain laid shattered on the ground and the base was filled with the corpses of Herobrines soldiers. Creepers, Endermen and Skeletons were burning away. The pile was guarded by Wither. When the bodies burned out, more kept getting piled on.

Part of me was happy, and that annoyed me to no end. Yes the mobs have tried to kill me, thousands of times. They weren't as bad as the Wither though. They didn't deserve this.

"They were slaughtered…" I mumbled in shock, earning a grunt in reply. I turned and faced Herobrine, who was now facing me. It took a second for me to notice that his hands were still giving off embers. "What are you going to do?"

"What I always do. Kill them."


	8. A Poor Choice of Words

**HELLO MY LOVLIES! I am extremely sorry for the wait. I really am. I know the pain of waiting for a new chapter and its finally here. I promise I'll try to update more often. ****I want to explain why I haven't been writing but its just a mix of general laziness, killer writers block and an obsession with my new Wacom tablet. I'll be able to draw a cover for these stories!**

**I advise you go back and re-read the end of the last chapter in case you've forgotten what's happened and then get back into it.**

**Okey Dokey, happy reading!**

* * *

><p><em>Obviously. What was I expecting to hear?<em>

I only chuckled in response. I swayed side to side and observed the room from the upper floor. Now that I think about it, he was probably right. It would be cleaner if a tornado blew through here. At least winds had some sort of 'organized chaos' as opposed to the Wither. They never seemed to be neat creatures. Their hovels and bases in the lowest levels of the Nether were scattered with litter and made me feel ill just walking by it. I admit that the Nether is hard to keep clean but if Herobrine can do it, even with a 'busy schedule', then surely they can.

"It's been… a long time since I've seen an actual monster." Herobrine sighed under his breath. "You would think that they'd have found some sanctuary, or followed the Endermen. Just something…." He finished quietly. I noticed the embers around his hands had since disappeared, and the room had gotten a few degrees colder. He moved over to the window again with a scowl on his face. There was power in his step. I could tell he was planning on making a strong decision soon. I just didn't know what. Were we going to keep moving around the castle? Were we going to fight? I had no idea. I always felt like leaving this stuff up to him. He is a god after all.

He nodded to himself, mumbling quietly in the process. So he was planning something..? I decided to leave him to himself for a few more minutes, or until he has an idea in mind. I noticed some large tapestry hanging from the walls in here too. Except they were much larger than banners. These were actual works of art. Some of them had burnt edges, some of them had been torn down completely. It appears the Wither didn't want these around the place either. One image caught my eye. A detailed one that showed the levels of the world as we know it, dimensions and all. The stitching painted a beautiful flowing image of the Aether, The City above the Stars, floating on fluffy white clouds above the Overworld. The Overworld was a lush green against a lapis blue sky. The trees were of many variants too. Underneath multiple layers of stone and caves was the Nether, it was swirling with deep reds and bright oranges. I could even see a Ghast or two hovering in between the islands of Netherrack. The Nether layer ended in a row of bedrock and huge patch of black remained. There was no bottom to the image. Upon closer inspection I saw that the tapestry had been burnt. A piece had barely made it out intact but I observed the image carefully. There was a pink square sown in above some purple speckles. I had no idea what that represented. But the colour did remind me of and Enderman's eyes.

A few artworks over was another image, of Notch this time, or rather what was left of Notch. This tapestry had been cut, rather violently at that. The fabric was fraying everywhere. Particularly in the neck region. It was obviously the Wither that did this. I had no idea that they hated the God this much.

I dawdled back over to my doppelganger, observing the rest of the art as I passed by. By the time I reached him, I noticed that he was standing unnaturally still. I cocked my head to the side, unsure of what to think. I knew he could get deep in thought but I could swear that I've statues move more than him right now.

"Hero-.."

"Shh!" He suddenly commanded, still without moving. I remained silent for a few moments, but my curiosity got the better of me.

"What' happening?" I whispered, now not moving myself. After a few ticks, he replied.

"They know we're here."

After that I said nothing. _How do they know? I didn't do anything to alert them. Neither did he… Unless they saw him in the window..? Idiot. _We were surely doomed. Five days walking in the caves to be sprung by the enemy. I thought Herobrines forte was stealth. How could he be so careless? I can't imagine what will happen now, since our little espionage mission was foiled. Of course my first instinct would be to run, but I feared what I would run into if I did. Now that they are alerted to our presence, what will they do? They've probably sent troops in to search the castle. They'll reach us sooner or later. I wish I knew where to go, but I had to follow him around just so I wouldn't get lost.

"Where do we go?!" I said, clearly panicking. I could already feel my palms getting sweaty. Lapis barked loudly to back me up, I hadn't realized she'd been downstairs the whole time. She bounded her way up here and stood between me and my double, keeping her eye on him. She knew who was in charge here. Smart dog.

Finally Herobrine began to re-animate and slowly regained some sort of composure before scoping the surroundings. He quickly scanned the room before nodding towards a door.

"There. It's a hallway, but it splits up into quite a few rooms." He took some steps towards it, dodging Lapis in the process. "We might be able to lose them. The armoury is also down there. Hopefully that hasn't been overrun too." He clenched his fists at the last sentence. He clearly wasn't happy. I'll admit he was holding it in well, that could be disastrous though. If he kept it up, he would surely explode, not just figuratively, but literally. I could swear I saw his eyes flash bright red for a second there. "Let's go. The more time we spend standing still, the more chance they have to find us."

I had to agree with him and we headed towards the door. We passed the tapestry of Notch on the way and Herobrine groaned in disgust at the state of it. He threw the door open with force and we entered in the empty hallway. The expanse of stone was lit up by skylights that that let in the dimming sun. The slow decrease in light didn't help my sight, but it did help Herobrines. I knew he could see clearly in the dark, just as well as I could in the light. However, given our current situation, I felt like we needed two pairs of eyes. In the light of the falling sun, I could still see enough, but that wouldn't last long.

Admittedly, the hallway was no less exciting than the library. The walls were carved stone and broken up with Quartz pillars, which in turn were holding the burnout torches that once lit up the cold corridor with an orange glow. Banners embroidered with all the mobs symbols hung from the tall ceiling. The Quartz columns climbed up the wall and formed into Quartz arches that shone all the colours of the rainbow in the sunset. The skylights were a beautiful mosaic of coloured stained glass. They didn't make an image but they flowed with harmony. Herobrine was _very, very _skilled in the architectural field. A skill I wished I possessed.

"Could we light a torch?" I asked, quickening my steps, realizing that I had fallen slightly behind. I need to stop doing that. I need to focus on the task at hand and stop envying the artistic nature of my doppelganger.

He shook his head, keeping his eyes at the other end of the long, decorated hallway. "No. Too dangerous. They'd see the glow."

I stopped in my tracks and scoffed, raising my eyebrow. He did have a point but that wasn't what I thought was funny. The man is a walking light source. He's doing about as much damage to our safety as torch would, by simply existing. I had to hand it to him, he used his eyes more so as a tool for frightening people, so he would naturally forget that they are his signature give away. He gave me a strange look as if he didn't get it, but then he realized what he had said and turned away, whispering "Shit".

I snickered and fell back into step with him. The enemy was going to catch us eventually. This castle was big but there were far too many of them to count, and they just kept coming. Their army was growing faster than rabbits can breed. "With my lack of vision in the dark and your eyes acting as beacons…"

"They'll find us?" he finished my sentence sheepishly and sighed. "I can't go blind Steve. That makes the situation even worse. Besides, regardless of _my _situation, you would be completely helpless without me."

I scoffed again, this time chuckling at the end. "I would, huh?"

"Yes…" he faded out, but sounded sure of his answer. I shook my head in disbelief. I knew that he knew I could argue that point.

"If… If I am as you claim helpless without you, then how did I survive three straight years of your torment?" I clasped my hands and raised my index fingers to my lips, curiously awaiting his answer. "Herobrine, can you answer that?"

He was silent for a few moments, then made his rebuttal.

"I let you live." He said with a shocking amount of confidence. You could practically see it.

"Did you? Because I recall a, for the sake of the short time I probably have on this Overworld, recent scuffle between the two of us." He turned his head to the left slightly, I could tell, even with his blank eyes, he was staring right at me. So I continued. "Yes. It was down in a very small cave, brim with diamonds, and even a few emeralds I believe. There was a tiny pool of lava in the centre too I think. I was mining peacefully, making ends meet and I heard something. A pebble shift in the silence of the cave." I glanced at Herobrine who was grinning ever so slightly. He knew exactly what I was talking about, and still he seemed to be enjoying the story. "So I turned around, with my pickaxe as my weapon for the moment, and I saw you. You were standing menacingly in the torchlight with a bloody sword."

He chuckled as he cut me off "I was. That was a good day for me. A lot of fun."

I squinted at his reminiscence and kept narrating my near death experience. "I asked you if we could talk it out. I bargained, since I was quite familiar with you by then. '_Have half the diamonds' _I said, but no, you wanted my head on a pike."

"So we fought."

"_So we fought!_ An epic battle it was. Blood here, shattered rock there. It lasted a while. Until you managed to, somehow, get your hands around my neck and choke the life out of me."

He cackled manically at that. "Not only that, I was also trying to roast you in that lava, but I just couldn't get you close enough." He smiled as he spoke and held his hands out as if he was chocking the air in front of him. "You put up far too much resistance for a mortal."

I nodded, "I still managed to live, the air down there is thin, I was being choked and nearly cooked to death and I still beat you and got away."

"Exactly, because I let you-"

"I _highly_ doubt that." I defended with a cocky grin. "For three straight revolutions I beat you, I won and now you are using this as a cover for your shame." Not even a second had passed when we both stopped and I realized, I had just made a huge mistake. I slowly turned my head towards Herobrine, and if looks could kill then my blood would have been painted across this entire hallway. There was a think tension in the air and the rising temperature from his anger wasn't helping. I could feel my heart race as I slowly backed into the wall. He opened his mouth to speak, but the sudden rattle of bones stopped any words coming out. Our eyes darted towards the end of the hallway where two large doors had been flung wide open and in its place was a squadron of Wither swordsmen.

"Oh shit…" I squeaked, only loud enough for the two for us to hear. I wanted to stay still, but I knew that they had seen us. Herobrine's eyes were, as I said, a dead give-away. Behind us, Lapis growled. Her eyes turned red with rage, and her sharp teeth showing through her threatening snarl. I swallowed and began to draw my sword, blunt as ever and practically useless.

"No." Herobrine ordered as his arm shot out and stopped me from pulling my blade. "There are too many."


End file.
